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ABBV vs. RPRX: AbbVie vs. Royalty Pharma Stock Comparison

How do AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ABBV is classified in Biotechnology while RPRX is classified in Pharmaceuticals.

Company profile comparison for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
Profile ItemABBVRPRX
NameAbbVie Inc.Royalty Pharma plc Class A Ordinary Shares
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryBiotechnologyPharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-IndustryBiotechnologyPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization514.92 billion USD38.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 2013June 16, 2020
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABBV
RPRX
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Total Return (1Y)37.33%81.08%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)32.74%39.21%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.73%14.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABBV
RPRX
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.65%22.05%
Beta (5Y)0.210.36
Max Drawdown (5Y)-21.92%-41.98%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.76M3.10M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ABBV and RPRX are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.293.48
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.025.72

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Royalty Pharma (RPRX) earns 12.09% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; AbbVie (ABBV) has no ROE this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
ABBV
--

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

12.09%

Max
109.18%
RPRX
12.09%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): ABBV does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; RPRX is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 25.70% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and AbbVie (ABBV) at 15.67% also retains a top-quartile share.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

15.67%

Max
18.05%
ABBV
15.67%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

25.70%

RPRX
25.70%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 39.59% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 81.32% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

39.59%

Max
83.12%
ABBV
39.59%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

81.32%

Max
83.12%
RPRX
81.32%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
ROE (TTM)--12.09%
ROA (TTM)10.74%5.43%
Net Margin (TTM)15.67%25.70%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.59%81.32%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.72%99.79%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 8.57% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 5.06% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at -0.84% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 23.09% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.57%5.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.75%2.06%
EPS Growth (YoY)-0.84%23.09%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-29.03%161.10%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 0.87 and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.29 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.87

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
ABBV
0.87
Min
0.10

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.29

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
RPRX
1.29
Min
0.10
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Royalty Pharma (RPRX) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88 against its industry range, while AbbVie (ABBV) reports no figure this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
ABBV
--

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.88

Max
1.42
RPRX
0.88
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): ABBV does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; RPRX is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.871.29
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--0.88
Net Debt / EBITDA2.214.76

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 2.40% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.37% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.40%

ABBV
2.40%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.37%

RPRX
1.37%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports payout ratio above 100% at 117.35%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Royalty Pharma (RPRX) reports 60.46%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

117.35%

ABBV
117.35%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

60.46%

RPRX
60.46%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.40%1.37%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)117.35%60.46%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 50.05 and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 43.99 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

50.05

Max
85.34
ABBV
50.05
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

43.99

Max
85.34
RPRX
43.99
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both AbbVie (ABBV) at 7.80 and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 14.79 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.80

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
ABBV
7.80
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

14.79

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
RPRX
14.79
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports a negative P/B ratio of -112.34, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Royalty Pharma (RPRX) reports 4.39, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

-112.34

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
ABBV
-112.34

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.39

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
RPRX
4.39
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricABBVRPRX
P/E Ratio (TTM)50.0543.99
P/S Ratio (TTM)7.8014.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-112.344.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.44%-1.16%